The present invention relates generally to a bi-directional communication system having a base apparatus and a display apparatus, such as a television receiver.
A remote control (remote commander) is commonly used to adjust the volume, change the channel, adjust picture quality, or set a timer on a television receiver. Operation of the remote control commonly provides for menus to be displayed on the television screen. These menus display certain operations which can be selected and executed via the remote control. Thus, the remote control allows the user to perform various viewing related operations in accordance with the information displayed in the menus.
Similarly, set-top boxes (STBs) or integrated receiver decoders (IRDs) for receiving satellite broadcasting signals can also be operated by remote control. In addition to the menus commonly found in televisions, STBs generally display an electronic program guide (EPG) on the television screen. Using the remote control, a viewer can select desired programs from those shown in the EPG. In this manner, a television or a set-top box which receives a television broadcast signal is designed to utilize a combination of information displays (i.e. menus) operated by a remote control to select and execute various viewing operations.
However, this process of selecting operations from a displayed menu using a remote control, requires the appropriate information be displayed. Further, this process sometimes requires a complicated series of steps using the remote control. For example, some operations require the user to navigate a complex hierarchy of menus before finding the desired operation, or an operation may require certain inputs that are not conveniently performed using a remote control (e.g., cursor movement or text input).